OCCC’s first annual talent show a success

On May 7, the Future Alumni Network — more commonly known as the FAN Club — hosted OCCC’s first annual talent show, “OCCC’s Got Talent.”

Among the 15 acts were comedians, dancers, a yoyoist, a multi-faceted musician and a comedic rap group consisting of OCCC employees.

There were a few of ways to win. One grand prize winner was selected by a panel of guest judges while a second grand prize was awarded to the act that raised the most donations for the OCCC Foundation Scholarship Fund. There also was a People’s Choice Award.

Marilyn Or, art major and the winner selected by the judges, said she learned her talents as a yoyoist by watching YouTube.

“I literally was bored one semester … and I just went on YouTube and learned to yo-yo,” Or said. “Most of the time it’s to music.”

While she was hopeful that she’d win, Or said, she was still surprised when her name was called.

OCCC Records Office employees Janet McNeill and Crystal Witt, along with business major Tanya Bessell, won the second grand prize with their comedic rap about Records and Registration after they raised the most scholarship money.

“We worked our butts off,” McNeill said.

The trio said they did whatever necessary to sell the most talent show tickets in order to raise scholarship funds.

“[We] were promoting all the time,” Witt said. “If [we] had to take a trip to the bathroom, we were taking our tickets and trying to sell them on the way.”

The People’s Choice award went to OCCC student employee Kodey Prewitt, whose talent consisted of playing guitar, kick-drum and a harmonica — along with singing his own vocals — all at the same time.

“It feels great,” Prewitt said. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to be in the talent show.

I’ve been playing [music] professionally for two years.

“I play drums, guitar, a little bit of bass and piano … but I stick with guitar — guitar’s my main instrument.”